Electric insect destroyer



July 5, 1949, A. J. GARDENHOUR 2,475,181

' ELECTRIC INSECT DESTROYER Filed Jan. :5, 1944 Shasta-Shoat 1 ,7INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

July 5, 1949. A. J. GARDENHOUR I ELECTRIC INSECT DESTROYER Filed Jan. 3,1944 3 shah-shut 2 VENTOR.

July 5; 1949.

A. J. GARDENH O UR' ELECTRIC INSECT v DESTRQYER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJan. 3, 1944 I I], J6 v 2 INVENTOR. Q//en J Garden/Jaw: m M

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Patented July 5, 1949 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,475,181 ELECTRICINSECT iiEsti'RoYER Allen J. Gardenhour, Waynesboro, Pa. ApplicationJanuary 3, 1944,"seria1Nb. sitfisbo (Cl. sa -1 12) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in insect eleetrocutors.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an electricaldestroyer of flies, insects, etc., having an electrical grid the partsof which are durably and efficiently located so as to maintain aconstant high tension voltage with a uniform air gap.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a relativelysimple low cost electrical destroyer for the extermination of flies,insects, etc. wherein improved means is provided for mounting anelectrical grid.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improvedinsect electrocutor having an improved electrical grid -formed ofmanually bendable but inherently stiff wires which are arranged so as topositively position the strand portions in accurate parallelism for themaintenance of a uniform air gap.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andwherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthruout the several views, a

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved insect electrocutor. 7

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken thru the electrocutorin a plane normal to the strands of wire of the electrocuting grid.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view takenthru the improved electrocutortransversely thereof, and in a plane normal "to the plane in whichFigure 2 is taken,

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation or the wiring circuit. L

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only apreferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generallydesignate the improved electric destroyer of flies, insects and thelike, which includes an electrical grid B having a supporting frameworkC which may include insulation bars or members D and a casing structureE. A trai'isformer F is provided. In many types of insect electrocutorsthe electrocutin'g "grid 'is of flimsy structure and lackspositiven'e'ss of position for efficient use and low cost maintenance.In the present invention these difficulties have been overcome byproviding a relatively cheap type of grid formed of inherently stiff,yet manually bendable'copper wires of agauge which will enable the sameto be crimped so that the strands thereof may be maintained inaccuratelyspaced 2 peraueusm for the n-tenarice or a 'un irorm air gap thru'ou'tthe g d.

the present instance easing E is or sheet metal including ens walls lfl"and H and opposite side walls 1 2 and I3. The casing has an open top ndproviaed with aremdvable bottorn tray it within which the lower marginsof the end and side walls ht, as shown in Figures 2 anti 3 of thedrawings. The sic-e war-1s i2 and It are provided with screwthreadedstuds TB in the lower marginal ortions retreat, either welded orotherwise secures thereto, and proje'cting beyond the outer surf-acesfoi' fitting in suitable slots l 1 providedin the upwardly flanged wallser the tray 15, as shown in Figure 3. A suitable washer and wing r'itltstructure 18 is provided for each of these screw threaded 'stu'ds Hi toreleasably clamp the tray in position upon the side and end walls, as isshown in the drawings. The tray may be readily removed by loosening thenuts.

The wire "grid structure Bis mounted upon the insulation bars or membersB. These members D are "hollow 'and ea'ch receives therein a mountingbolt 20 supported at its ends upon suitable reinforcing angle irons "Z4and 22. The angle irons "2| and 22 are or" metal and relatively heavy.They are appr'eci'ably'stronger than the thinner gauge material of whichthe casing E is formed and therefore not only reinforce the casingstructure but also provide means for the positive mounting and spacingof the grid bars D. They each include a horizontal leg portion M mountedupon suitable-angle clips 25 whichmay be welded, 'as at '26, upon theinside surfaces of the end walls [9 and H, as shown in the drawings.They may be supported by these angle clips in a detachable manner as byscrews 'or bolts 21. The other leg portions 29 of the angle clips areinspaced relation with the adjacent walls of the casing on which theyare mounted, --i-n vertical position for supporting the bolts 20 and inturn the insulation bars or tubes D. As shown in the drawings, two orthemembers D are provided, inspaced parallelism with the walls 1'2 and 13.The "bolt 20 each include head and nut portions similar to that shown inFigure 1 er the urawings so that the bars Dana grid structure may bereadily aetacl'red "from the angle irons.

'li'ach'of the insulation posts or members is is preferably made ofporcelain or some cheaper insulating material and provided with anexternal spiral groove, extend r i-rbiii "end to end, the pi ch "ofwhich is relatively flat ans of a r s acing 3111911 to the all gapbetween 3 adjacent strands of the grid. The thread formed by this spiralgroove presents a convex apex and a concave root.

The grid structure B consists of two continuous wires 30 and 3| whichare spirally wound in the grooves of the bars or members D so that theadjacent strands of wire in each electrocuting portion or the grid areof different wires. This effect is secured by winding each wire upon thebars or members D so that for each member D one wire is turned inalternate turns of the spiral groove; the intermediate or other turns ofthe groove receiving the turns of the other wire. These two wires arenot in contact at any point and they are electrically charged as will behereinafter described, with current of opposite polarity.

It will be noted from Figure 3 of the drawings that the supporting barsor members D are positioned in the same horizontal plane and within andclose to the top of the casing E. In effect the grid structure providesan upper electrocuting grid and a lower electrocuting grid in which thestrands of one grid are directly opposite the strands of the other grid,so as to insure the positive electrocution of insects falling betweenthe strands of wire. In each of these grid portions th strands areabsolutely parallel and uniformly spaced to insure an air gap which isjust beyond the breakdown voltage.

It was previously mentioned that the gauge of the wire forming the gridis such that while the wire is bendable, it is inherently stiff and willflex only under appreciable manual effort. So as to horizontallyposition and maintain true parallelism of the strands of wire, and totension the same so that the strands lie exactly perpendicular to theaxes of the bars or posts D, both the upper and lower grid portions ofthe wire grid arrangement are crimped immediately adjacent to the barsD. at 35; the crimps being straight and also in parallelism so as tomaintain a uniform air gap. It is noted from the wiring diagram inFigure 4 that the two wires forming the grid are not in electricalcontact at any point. The ends of these two wires at the ends of thesupporting bars D may be wrapped completely around the said bars andsoldered, each to itself. The wires 30 and 3! are crimped after beinginitially wound upon the bars D and this insures their tensioning andaccurate gap spacing.

A laminated core gas tube transformer is used in the circuit anddetachably supported upon the wall l2 of the casing structure E by meansof four metal legs 43 having angled feet 4| abutting the inside surfaceof the wall l2 and secured thereto by detachable bolts 42. Thistransformer F, shown diagrammatically in Figure 4, includes a primarywinding 50, the ends of which are connected to wires having a connectingplug 52 of any approved nature. The secondary winding 53 has wires 54and 55 leading therefrom respectively connected with any of the strandportions of the wires 30 and 3| respectively, as by soldering at 55.

In the improved electrocutor shown in the drawings, the adjacent strandsof the wires forming the grid, in each of the upper and lowerelectrocuting grid portions of the grid arrangement, are positioned fora one quarter inch air gap. Under such circumstances the primary windingis 115 A. C. and the secondary is of 2,000 volts 18 milliamperes. Thewider the air gap, the greater will be the secondary voltage required.The outlet wires 5| extend thru an insulation bushing 60 in the sidewall 12 of the casing structure.

In order to shield the transformer F against dropping of electrocutedflies and insects thereon, I have provided a shield of thin gauge metal,designated at 70, having a flange portion detachably secured as by thebolt structures 42 above mentioned. While I have horizontally positionedthe shield 10, the same may be slanted so as to insure the rolling ofthe insects into the bottom of the tray with facility.

The inside surfaces of the wall structure of the casing and the tray mayhave a marigold crinkled finish which is especially attractive toinsects and flies.

It is apparent from the foregoing that adjacent strands of each upperand lower electrocuting grids of the grid structure will be suppliedwith current of opposite polarity. There is no possibility of leakage ofthe high tension voltage, because the air gap on all points in the gridis just beyond the breakdown voltage. Should a fly or insect pass thruthe gap at any point in the grid, a circuit will arc thru the fiy orinsect, and the fly or insect will be electrocuted. It is to beunderstood that the principle of this invention may be adapted forelectrocutors of larger sizes, such as for rodents, etc.

It is apparent from the foregoing that a relatively low costelectrocutor has been provided, which is sanitary and extemely positivein operation. The maintenance cost is very low and all parts are sodurably constructed that under normal conditions of handling, the wiresof the grid structure will not become deflected or damaged so as todestroy the uniform air gap. The flies are removed by loosening the wingnuts and removing the tray from the casing.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown and described without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrocutor for electrocuting insects and the like, thecombination of a framework, a plurality of bars of insulation materialhaving spiral grooves extending therealong and each groove comprising aplurality of convolutions, means mounting the bars in spaced relationupon said framework, and electrically conductive wire wound in thegrooves of the bars and providing narrow strand portions extendingbetween the bars in spaced air gap providing relation, the strands ofwire adjacent each of the bars being crimped, the crimps at oppositebars extending at opposite sides of the axis of the strand between saidcrimps.

2. In an insect electrocutor the combination of a framework, relativelyspaced elongated insulation bars connected in substantially parallelspaced relation to said framework, said bars being provided withcontinuous spiral grooves therealong, and electrically conductive wirewound between said bars and disposed around said bars in the spiralgrooves to provide spaced grid portions extending between said bars,each of said grid portions including a plurality of strands of wireextending between the spaced bars, said strands being crimped at theends thereof so as to dispose the strand of one grid directly oppositethe strand of the other grid.

ALLEN J. GARDENHOUR.

(References on followin P REFERENCES CITED Number 1,972,180 The followmgreferenlces are of record 1n the 2,001,414 file of thls patent:2,030,310 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,219,743 2,302,803 Number Name Date1,159,157 Bass Nov. 2, 1915 1,429,691 Pandolfo Sept. 19, 1922 Nu er1,910,623 McWilliams et a1. May 23, 1933 10 37,

Name Date Bowman Sept. 4, 1934 Folmer et a1. May 14, 1935 McWflliamsFeb. 11, 1936 Karr Oct. 29, 1940 Root Nov. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTSCountry Date France Mar. 6, 1922

